Tuesday, November 6, 2018

EarthwormLumbricus sp.
Although we can go long times without seeing one, earthworms are among
the most common and widespread organisms. They are under our feet,
ubiquitous in moist soils. Their abundance can be seen after a rain,
when many of them come to the surface. Crawling above ground, some
become stranded on sidewalks and streets. Earthworms look like a
cylinder pointed at both ends, but in fact they are bilaterally
symmetrical and with much the same organ systems as we have....
Earthworms are very efficient dirt-eaters. They take in bits of the soil
through which they burrow and extract nutrients from the organic matter
they digest. Their feces fertilize the soil even after they have
extracted most nutrients, and their burrowing aerates the soil to the
advantage of plant roots and the abundant soil fauna. (Slater Museum/University of Puget Sound)

Minister already met with 22 bands in Trans Mountain consultation redo
Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi has personally met with leaders
of nearly two dozen Indigenous communities since the Federal Court of
Appeal struck down the Canadian government's approval of the Trans
Mountain pipeline expansion in August. The court said the original
consultations with Indigenous communities affected by the pipeline plans
was insufficient so the government is planning another attempt. Sohi
has already met with people from 22 communities, including most of those
behind the successful court challenge, as he tries to set rules for a
new round that he hopes will satisfy the court's conditions. (Canadian
Press)

Upgrade to natural gas pipeline worries environmental groups
A coalition of environmental groups is airing concerns about a plan to
upgrade nearly 6 miles of natural gas pipeline from east of Lynnwood
through Clearview past Highway 9. A partial list of objections includes
the wider pipeline’s potential to increase carbon emissions, encourage
dirty fracking techniques and expand housing sprawl into rural areas.
The pipeline company says the upgrade would improve safety and satisfy
growing demand. Skeptics have scheduled a community meeting for
Wednesday evening. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Event-- Family feast: Kin-directed prey sharing behavior in northern resident killer whales November 8
Whale scientist Brianna Wright on November 8 will discuss findings of a
12-year study examining patterns of prey sharing behavior among northern
resident killer whales. Resident killer whales prey almost exclusively
on salmon and depend particularly on Chinook (the least common species
of salmon in the Pacific Northwest), which makes up the majority of
their known diet. Despite the importance of Chinook to the survival of
individual killer whales, they frequently choose to share this critical
resource with family members. Presented by The Whale Trail at Dakota
Place Park in Seattle, 7 PM, $10 adult, kids under 12 free. Brown Paper Tickets

Bill Gates brandishes poo to showcase reinvented toilet tech
Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates had his
hands full on-stage in Beijing on Tuesday, showing a jar of human
faeces. The stunt was part of his speech at the Reinvented Toilet Expo
event - a showcase for new toilet technologies. The Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation has spent more than $200m on researching the field
across the last seven years. Twenty cutting-edge sanitation products
were on display, intended to destroy harmful bacteria and prevent
disease. (BBC) See also: Omni Processor heading to commercial market
Sedron Technologies, formerly Janicki Bioenergy, has received a license
to take its Janicki Omni Processor — which turns sewage sludge into
drinking water and electricity — to the commercial market. The license
will allow Sedron Technologies to transition from a technology
development role for the processor into business development, according
to a company news release. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Skagit Valley
Herald)

The Russell Family Foundation moved most of its endowment to impact… and outperformed its benchmark
The Russell Family Foundation’s journey to align its $141 million
endowment with its philanthropic mission began with a contradiction:
Does an environmental foundation undermine its grants to improve water
quality by investing in businesses that pollute local waterways? The
inquiry jump-started a process that led the foundation to embrace a role
as an investor, asset owner and shareholder seeking to protect the
environment and empower local communities in the Pacific Northwest and
Puget Sound. As the foundation has achieved nearly 75% alignment over
the last five years, the mission-aligned portfolio outperformed its
benchmark by nearly 3%. Dennis Price writes. (Impact Alpha)

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